NUTRITION FEATURE
Sear Factor
Grilling under the weather? Outsmart the elements and take it inside
By Shelley Drozd; Photography by Dennis Gottlieb
Certain grilling accessorieS ARE optional—'KISS THE CHEF' hats. While others–an actual grill, meat that isn't moving–are necessities. Decent weather falls into the latter category. Define "decent"? Atmospheric conditions that won't get you wet. Or sucked into the swirling funnel of typhoon winds. But that's not to say that a determined carnivore can't sear some steer in the midst of a storm. Just blow the dust off your weatherproof grill: the broiler. "The only difference between a grill and a broiler is that the heat comes from underneath on a grill, and with a broiler, it comes from above," says John Stage, co-owner of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Rochester, New York. "There's hardly anything you can do on a grill that you can't do with a broiler."
Rum Chops
1 c scallions, coarsely chopped
½ c fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp canola oil
½ Tbsp dark rum (80 proof)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, crushed
To make them: Dump everything into a blender (uh, except the pork chops) and process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a large resealable plastic bag, slip in the chops, shake everything up, and toss the bag into the fridge for 2-4 hours. Then place the marinated pork in a broiler pan and pop it into the oven. Cook for 10-12 minutes, turning the chops every few minutes. They're ready when they're no longer pink at the bone. Makes four servings
Per serving: 321 calories, 38 grams (g) protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 15 g total fat, 1 g fiber, 585 milligrams (mg) sodium
Chicken Fourplay
¼ c dry white wine
¼ c olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
½ tsp salt
4 six-ounce boneless chicken breasts
To make it: Dump all the ingredients into a large resealable bag, seal, and shake until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate the bag for 1-2 hours. In the meantime, tear off four 15-inch-long pieces of foil. When the chicken is ready, place one breast in the center of each piece of foil and fold the edges of the foil up to form a bowl. Pour one-quarter of the remaining marinade inside each bowl, then press the foil together to seal the chicken inside. Place all four bowls on a broiler pan and cook for about 12 minutes. Makes four servings
Per serving: 287 calories, 35 g protein, 2 gcarbohydrates, 14 g total fat, 0.5 g fiber, 318 mg sodium
Steak-and-Potato Kebabs
6-8 small new potatoes (about ¾ lb), scrubbed
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 c balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp black pepper
1 ½ lb boneless sirloin steak, cut into 1 ¼-inch cubes
1 medium red onion, peeled and quartere
To make them: Toss the potatoes in a pot of water and boil them for 15-20 minutes. While they cook, stir together the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and pepper in a large bowl. Dump the steak into the bowl, then drain the potatoes and add them as well. Cover the bowl and let everything marinate in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours. When you're ready to eat, thread your kebabs with alternating pieces of steak, potato, and onion. Cook the kebabs on a broiler pan that's been sprayed with nonstick spray, grilling them for six minutes per side or until the steak is done to your liking. Makes four servings
Per serving: 429 calories, 33 g protein, 19 gcarbohydrates, 23 g total fat, 2 g fiber, 596 mg sodium
» Health archive
Men's Health Philippines - May 2007 Issue
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Rum Chops
Steak-and-Potato Kebabs
The 5 Rules of Indoor Grilling
Rule 1: Find the fat.
Because broilers cook at a scorching 500°F, it's easy for lean meats to lose their juice. That's why you need to choose cuts with flecks of marbling. "The fat helps keep the meat moist, but drains off as it cooks," says Stage.
Rule 2: Give it a pat-down.
The wet look is out, especially for steak. "Pat your meat dry with a paper towel before you put it in the broiler, even if it's been in a marinade," says Stage. The reason? Excess moisture steam-cooks your steak, leaving it limp, gray, and crustless. The exception to the rule: barbecue sauce, which causes an entirely different problem (see Rule 3).
Rule 3: Lay off the sauce.
If you don't marinate your meat, then wake it up with a dry rub, not a half bottle of barbecue sauce. "You can put stuff like barbecue sauce on the meat after it's cooked, but if you put it on before cooking, the sugars in the sauce will burn, turning your meat black," says Joe Bonanno, a New York City firefighter and author of the Firehouse Grilling Cookbook.
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